Thursday, June 4, 2015

ABU
DHABI)-- Sweihan town in Abu Dhabi recorded the highest daytime temperature
globally at noon yesterday reaching 50.5 degrees Celsius, a forecaster from the
National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology has told Gulf News.

The hot spell in the UAE is expected to persist today, but the
temperature is likely to drop significantly in the western part of the country
today.

The mercury hovered around 45 degrees Celsius and reached the 50C
mark in the interior parts of the country. Dubai recorded a temperature of
43.6C at the Burj Khalifa weather station, while the temperature in the
southern parts of Abu Dhabi such as Hamim touched 49.1C, Umm Azimul was pegged
at 48.9C and Qasyoura reached 48.4C.

A trough is a large area of relatively low pressure that occurs
either on the Earth’s surface or at higher altitudes. The surface trough that
the UAE is currently experiencing originated in the Empty Quarter in Saudi
Arabia. It is characterised by a hot air mass that is moving towards the UAE as
it is associated with the south-easterly wind.

As the hot air rises to the east of the trough, it cools and its
humidity will condense and form clouds and precipitation. Colder, drier air
tends to prevail to the west of the trough.-end-